Gaming News

Sony Interactive Entertainment has delayed the release of The Last of Us Part II by Naughty Dog, as well as Iron Man VR on PSVR until further notice due to the COVID-19 global pandemic. In a tweet to the community, Naughty Dog says it had finished the game and was fixing some final bugs in anticipation of a May 29 release. The developer wants to "make sure everyone gets to play The Last of Us Part II around the same time," but logistical problems imposed by the current pandemic have prevented Naughty Dog and SIE from achieving that. This could allude to the inability to coordinate the different physical versions of the game (it has four – standard, special, collector's, and elite), as well as the digital one, at the same time. However, neither the developer nor the publisher have specified as much. Naughty Dog says it hopes the delay won't be long, and will update players when it has new information. A message from us about the delay of The Last of Us Part II: pic.twitter.com/aGsSRfmJ8a — Naughty Dog (@Naughty_Dog) April 2, 2020 [Source: Sony Interactive Entertainment, Naughty Dog]

On April 7, a new lore event hits Apex Legends along with some big changes, the biggest of which being the permanent addition of duos to the game. During the event. players can take on dangerous monsters for a shot at high tier loot during matches, but of course other players and teams are going to be looking for a slice of that action, so the risk/reward element is high as you attempt to take down deadly prowlers in Bloodhound's Trials. Check out more in the lore video below: Click here to watch embedded media As always, the new event comes with a smattering of new cosmetic rewards players can earn. You can learn more on the official site here. The event runs until April 21, so get tracking!

Chucklefish has made a name for itself with some high-quality releases, including Starbound and Wargroove, and is also known for having stepped in to complete publishing duties on the wildly popular Stardew Valley. The UK game studio had more recently made waves with its announcement of Witchbrook, which many observers have described as looking like a cross between Stardew Valley and the Harry Potter stories. After a good deal of enthusiasm around the initial announcement, Chucklefish has remained very quiet on the project for some months. The reason for that now seems clearer, as the game has seen a dramatic facelift, and is sporting a new isometric artstyle. To get a sense of what’s changed, look at this previously released screen, which shows off the old art style. Witchbrook, old artstyle And now, take a look at these new screenshots, just releasing today.   Chucklefish describes its game as a “magical school and town life simulator.” Players control a witch-in-training as they seek to hone their abilities, go to classes, and eventually aim to graduate. At the same time, your magical avatar may also fish, grow crops (with the aid of magic!) and track down reagents like mushrooms. In short, it seems as if the game will focus on spellcasting with an equal focus to figuring out a date to the prom. Chucklefish is both developing and publishing Witchbrook, and today launched a new website for the game. No platforms have yet been announced. We also don’t have a release date yet; Chucklefish highlights that its studio is a no-crunch studio, under the belief that it results in better games and healthier developers, so we may have a wait before we can launch into our own magical school careers. Click image thumbnails to view larger version                                                                                                             

Balance is everything in multiplayer games, and pushing players to earn/buy new cards is a big part of games with loot boxes and microstransactions. Clash Royale checks both of those boxes, and for the game's 10th season, developer Supercell is removing a card to make room for another. Heal Spell, which debuted in 2017, will no longer be in decks in a few days. Taking its place is a new card called Heal Spirit, which has the same movement speed, hit points, and general design as the ice spirit, but when it explodes, it delivers a powerful burst of healing. Supercell says it produces total healing of 181 percent, which is far more powerful than the Heal Spell. The game's 10th season also brings a new tower skin, emotes, and arena. To learn more about how the Heal Spirit came online, check out Supercell's fun announcement video.

Red Dead Redemption II developer Rockstar Games has announced that starting today through the end of May, it is donating five percent of in-game transactions in Red Dead Online and GTA Online to help small businesses and communities deal with COVID-19. The tweet announcing the campaign says it will distribute aid "both directly and by supporting some of the amazing organizations who are on the ground." Rockstar says that more details regarding the initiative are coming in the future. [Source: Rockstar Games]

Click here to watch embedded media The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel IV is finally hitting our shores, and we got all the first details on what you can expect along with an announcement trailer (above) and screenshots.   Nihon Falcom’s Trails of Cold Steel series has made a name for itself with its detailed world, colorful characters, and impressive turn-based combat. For three entries, we’ve followed protagonist Rean Schwarzer as he’s gone from a student to a professor amid plenty of political turmoil and shocking revelations. This is the final entry in the Trails of Cold Steel arc, and due to events in the previous entry, will not have its standard student-life setting. Click image thumbnails to view larger version                                                                                                               “This title holds an important place as the end of the Cold Steel series and the mid-point of an overall story that began with Trails in the Sky,” explains Nihon Falcom president and producer Toshihiro Kondo. “We’ve hinted at various mysteries since Trails in the Sky and all of those related to the Erebonian Empire will be revealed here.” Kondo said this game features the largest cast and the most quests in the series' history. For more details on the game, you can read our short Q&A with Kondo, which goes into much more detail. Trails of Cold Steel IV hits the PS4 this fall, with a later release on Nintendo Switch and PC in 2021. It will have a “day one” edition called the Frontline edition (pictured below) and a limited edition. 

COVID-19's impact on the game industry pushes another game date back, as InXile's Wasteland 3 has been pushed to August 28 (Be sure to check out an awesome feature on Wasteland 3 in the current issue of Game Informer!}. Studio head Brian Fargo issued a statement via Twitter, commenting that a shift to work-from-home procedures had impacted development. Wasteland 3 was previously expected to land on May 19 on PC, Xbox One, and PS4. We have an important update on Wasteland 3’s release date. pic.twitter.com/hiX1CygcUk — Wasteland ☢️ (@Wasteland) March 31, 2020 Delays due to a rapidly changing world are becoming commonplace, and I'm looking forward to sliding around an ice-cold Denver when Wasteland arrives. And hanging out with robo-Reagan, he's a cool president.

One of the most revered campaigns in the Call of Duty series is back in remastered form, with Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Campaign being released today on PlayStation 4 - coming to other platforms a little later. Infinity Ward's title has been remastered by Beenox with new visuals, improved animations, audio enhancements, and supports up to 4K resolution (and will have uncapped framerate when it arrives on PC!). Click here to watch embedded media Even if you haven't thought much of some CoD campaigns (Don't sleep on Infinite Warfare!), Modern Warfare 2 is one of the iconic ones, featuring memorable characters and missions and of course, the infamous "No Russian" level. Players that purchase the remaster also get some cosmetics that they can use in Modern Warfare and Warzone.

This shouldn't be a surprise, but COVID-19 is starting to affecting the release of several upcoming games. Previously, Square Enix promised that the spread of the virus would not delay the release of the game on April 10, and the company is still holding to that. However, the publisher recently released a statement updating how the game will roll out. https://twitter.com/finalfantasyvii/status/1244538864263364608 In short, Final Fantasy VII Remake has already shipped to Europe and Australia. Square Enix hopes this will gives fans a greater chance of getting their hands on the title. This applies to the physical version of the game, and the company has made no statements regarding the digital release, which is still set for release on April 10. With the spread of the pandemic, many gamers are hunkering down in their gaming dens to play games. If you're hoping to get your hands on Final Fantasy VII remake soon, we wish you luck, and if you go snag a copy before the rest of the world, please don't spoil anything.

Niantic continues to alter Pokémon Go to accommodate trainers affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. In a new blog post today, Niantic says its mission has been to "help people get outside, exercise, and explore the world, with the ultimate goal of helping people connect with others." Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Niantic is adapting its vision in the coming days and weeks to accommodate players who are stuck indoors. One of the big changes is letting trainers team up with friends to take on raids from their own homes. We don't know exactly how this will work yet, but it should cut down on the unnecessary risk of people heading outdoors to a gym's location to get a Pokémon they don't want to miss out on. Adventure Sync is receiving a tweak that will allow trainers to track steps indoors and on a treadmill. Niantic is also looking at ways that will allow players to "share memories about their favorite real-world places." Lastly, Niantic is working on a new way to bring Pokémon Go Fest to players. More details on all of these things will be shared soon by Niantic.

Riot Games has announced the start date of the upcoming closed beta for Valorant, the studio's recently revealed tactical hero shooter. Select players will be able to test out the FPS ahead of its planned summer launch beginning April 7. To register for the closed beta, you must connect your Riot account to your Twitch account, then watch highlighted Valorant streams for the chance to receive closed beta access. While your progress will not carry over into launch, any Valorant Points – the currency used to buy skins and other store items – you purchase will be given back to you at launch with a 20 percent bonus. Riot is currently planning on keeping the closed beta as short as possible, but may reevaluate if it hears unexpected feedback from participants. The closed beta will initially be limited to the United States, Canada, Europe, Russia, and Turkey, but could expand to additional regions depending on how the current COVID-19 pandemic progresses. "Our plan was to bring the Valorant Closed Beta to as many players around the world as quickly as possible, but the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted those plans, compromising a wider global rollout," executive producer Anna Donlon said in a statement. "For now, we have to focus on the regions where we feel most ready, with more regions following in the months to come." For more on Valorant, check out our deep dive on the game here. Click image thumbnails to view larger version                                                                                                             

Mario is one of the most iconic characters in video games, so every one of his birthdays is worth celebrating. If recent reports are to be believed, Nintendo may be planning an impressive celebration that includes Switch rereleases of many of Mario's best games.  Eurogamer and VideoGamesChronicle reported that Super Mario 64, Super Mario Sunshine, and Super Mario Galaxy will all get rereleases sometime this year. Additionally, Nintendo is working on a new Paper Mario title and a deluxe version of Super Mario 3D World that includes new levels.  If true, these details are very exciting, but we may also soon hear new details on Nintendo/Universal's upcoming Mario-themed park as well as the upcoming animated Super Mario Bros. movie. A few weeks ago, Nintendo announced its partnership with Lego, and it's possible that was just the beginning for our mustachioed pal. We've reached out to Nintendo for further comment. The original Super Mario Bros. released in Japan on September 13th, 1985, so the 35th anniversary is set for this fall. Hopefully, we'll hear more soon.  [Source: Eurogamer, VideoGamesChronicle]